Customer Reviews

Minnies : QuickKnits for Babies and Toddlers

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

... well, most!
many of the patterns in this book are worsted weight (such as the seed stitch cardigan on the front) but many are "bulky" - 2.5-3.5 stitches per inch. normally, "quick knit" translates into "crappy" but not with Minnies - all of the designs are realtively simple yet adorable and often innovative.
nowhere does Ms. Eaton bore the reader with assertions to use "machine washable acrylic blends" as do most books for baby knitting. instead she urges knitters to use novelty, exciting and luxury fiber yarns! think Colinette, Berroco etc. these are our BABIES for heavens sake! they should have the best - even if it does have to be handwashed ;^)

the Genghis Baby hat (3.5 stitches per inch) is irresisitible, and if you make one for your baby or toddler i promise s/he'll be the only one on the playground with this adorable hat!

any Minnowknits book is a must -have on a knitter's shelf, but this is my favorite.

Jil Eaton's latest collection of patterns for babies and toddlers, Minnies, is outstanding. The collection contains Eaton's hallmarks -- fun & funky styling, relatively simple techniques, bright colors, high-quality yarns -- in a variety of patterns, including sweaters, hats, a christening gown, sundress, one-piece romper and more. Great photos of real kids wearing the finished items are supplemented by clear shots of just the garment lying flat AND by schematic diagrams with detailed measurements (both important to a serious knitter). I've zipped through three of the patterns already, and they are indeed quick to knit while yielding quite professional results. I like the fact that Eaton uses a wide variety of yarns and gauges, and that virtually all of the patterns can be completed in a short period of time (before your child grows out of the size!). I especially appreciate that Eaton's patterns manage to maintain an original and fresh feel, avoiding that recycle-too-many-old-patterns trap that some designers fall into by their third or fourth book. Now that my son is getting too big for the toddler sizes, I can only hope that more patterns for bigger kids on are the way....

I have knitted some Jil Eaton sweaters in the past, I love her quickknit patterns, elaborate looking knits that are quite easy. This book I found to be just fair, with a good portion of the knits for infants, not toddlers, which I was hoping for. A lot of the patterns were cute but nothing that really gave me the urge to pull out the needles.

The patterns are cute and all, but the largest size is for 3 year-olds and most patterns only go up to 24 months. So if you are looking for patterns for children (who will soon grow out of their toddler stage), this is not the book for you. Sure you can resize, but other of Jil Eaton's books (Such as Big Fish Little Fish or the first two MinnowKnits books) have larger sizes, so why go through the trouble?

I was disappointed with this purchase. The cover is so cute, but the only design that is really interesting is the pink and green hat with the pom poms. That just isn't enough to warrant buying the whole book.

I love this book for making gifts for friends children. I've made the seedling sweater, the flax jax (no sewing together) and the cable-alls sweater many times and my friends love them. I did find an error on the flax jax. You don't need nearly as much yarn as the pattern calls for.

I think I actually like this the best of Jil Eaton's 4 books.
The christening dress is someting I would actually make for my child or a relatives. I LOVE the feltie feet pattern, which are red booties with a black and white checkered tie. I also like the cable-alls and the angora jumpsuit with matching hat. They
all seem to be quick knits, which is also a plus.

Happy Knitting,
Nanette of Fruitland, ID

This book is one of my absolute favorites in my knitting library! And I have aLOT of books, all of EZ's, Sally Melville's and a slew of others. Minnies has it's own niche and of course would not have "everything you'd ever need to knit for babies" in it, but what it does have is a terrific selection of knits that are easy, up to date, fun, and well-recieved by the mom's. As far as mistakes, that is not always the designer's fault as many times it is out of her hands once it goes to editing/publishing. I have e-mailed Jil Eaton a couple of times for some help on a pattern and she's always responded quickly and graciously. I've made the "Mini Pini" and the "Flax Jax" for two different babies and the mothers absolutely loved them. I find that this book has more than some others, in that it includes schematics, which is a huge help. And she doesn't restrict you with "it has to be this yarn or it won't work" mentality. I love my book and it's a terrific and manageable price,too. I will never get rid of this book. And now that I am going to be a grandmother for the first, time I will be knitting alot more of these designs!

Cabled overalls, bulky vest, kimono, etc. Very cute and quick. No size 3 needles here! One of the top 3 for the 0-3 set I've seen yet! Quick and understandable for the beginner and a new perspective for experienced knitters to keep interested. A good one to keep around.

While reviewing the reviews for this book from others who have purchased it, I was amazed to see that no one remarked on the very obvious mistakes. Being a novice knitter, after completing 2 of the items in the book, I found that to avoid having these mistakes jump out at me while in the process of knitting the item, it would be better if I went over the instructions beforehand. I found so many mistakes, obvious mistakes, like not knowing that a garter stitch is a "knit every row". It was beginning to seem like a nightmare. You purchase all the equipment and then have to pray that the other instructions are correct. This book needs a good proofreader.